Venture Onward Gallant Warrior
by Nothing Really Specific
Summary: Reepicheep attempts to save a grieving owl, but fails. With the owl gone, a deadly enemy appears and goes after Reep's soul, changing him completely and forcing him to the breaking point. The question is, how far will he be pushed and will anyone stop him before he does something he'll regret? Rated T for Language. PLEASE REVIEW!
1. Chapter 1

**Venture Onward Gallant Warrior**

The wind carried it's warning to the _Dawn Treader_. A storm was coming.

As the clouds darkened, the rain, assisted by the wind and lighting, advanced like a dark army on the defenseless vessel.

"Release the sails!" Caspian shouted, trying to outdo the wind and thunder, but they did anyway. The crew scrambled to untie the sails from the masts. They had just tied them on but now they had to undo their work. They grumbled and complained like children but did as they were told and did it quickly, despite the rain beating them down to a miserable pulp and the wind being it's wingman.

The only one who wasn't grumbling or complaining about the rain was Reepicheep. He was laughing, flipping and dodging like the natural acrobat he was around the masts, slicing ropes as quick as he could. He was timing himself. "One, two, three, four..." he said aloud, walking causally on the T-bar of the mast, each number indicating a slice of a rope. He barely moved, he just sliced his blade left, then right, in a downward diagonal direction. Slowly he released the main sail. "Five, six, and," he paused at the last one. "Seven!" He sheathed his blade. "One minute and fifty nine seconds," he smiled, "not as fast as the last time but oh well," he shrugged his shoulders, "best is to learn than make future error." He chuckled, satisfied with his wit, not afraid or ashamed to admit he was slightly egoistical.

The main sail was down, sort of. It unraveled quickly, like a rug or map. It even had the sound of crumpled up paper and was about halfway down when it stopped moving. Reepicheep looked up and saw that he missed one. It was a rope, tied in a stopper knot on the far end of the sail. At the end of this rope was a large sand bag which appeared to be moving rather violently. Perplexed, the mouse stared at the bag for a moment. Battling the wind and rain that was battling with it, the sounds of a struggle. Screaming. "Tilden!" A voice heard, "Are you alright?" Frantic searching. "Tilden!" Digging sounds, as if through sand. "Tilden!" The voice cried out in despair. "Where are you moi droog?" Silence. A sigh, the sounds of weeping and heart break. The wind mocked his tears while the rain taunted the poor soul in the bag. Cries of anguish, as the world, for whoever it was that was in there, was ending.

"Is anybody there!" The voice called.

"I'm here!" Reep answered, screaming over the thunder. "Want me to give you a hand?"

"That would be best." The voice answered. "Have you been there this whole time?"

"I have." Reepicheep said with a nod, "and I'm sorry about your friend. "

"If you are really sorry, then you'll help me out of here and stop yapping!" The voice said, a bit condescending. He sighed. "Sorry, I'm just in this bag you know."

Reepicheep smiled, "No trouble," he said, backing up, "here I come!" He ran across the T-bar and jumped just as his feet left the edge. He pulled out his sword and cut the bag open all in mid-air and entered it.

The first thing he noticed was that there was sand in it. A lot of it, the bag was essentially full of the stuff. In the shadow of the bag, shivering and cold, looking like a lost puppy, sat a Great Horned Owl. He was crying. Reepicheep walked over slowly, trying to be as quiet as possible. "Can you move?" Reep asked. The owl nodded, "I just want to sit here for a moment if you don't mind," he said, tears flowing down his broken face. Reepicheep nodded, letting the poor soul wallow in self pity and misery. "I'm sorry," the owl said, wiping away his tears with his wings, "I just," he sighed, "my best friend is dead." He paused, and mouthed his last sentence. He stuttered, as if suffering from severe hypothermia, "M-m-y b-be-best- f-f-fri-friend is-d-d-d-dead." The owl cried again, this time burying his head in his wings. The sand bag which was half empty thanks to Reep's hole, began to reveal the source of this owl's tears. In his talons, a bloody rotting corpse, disemboweled, and disfigured. Guts covered the owl's talons, the blood seeped into the bird's soul, making him weep and wallow. "He died because of me!" The owl screamed. Reepicheep watched in horror, recognizing who the corpse was, his long lost twin brother. The owl turned his head towards the mouse, Reepicheep sighed and bowed his head. "I'm assuming you knew him well?" Reep asked. The owl nodded, "He was my best friend."

"Best friend?" Reep looked at the bird, confused and betrayed, staring him down like the devil. "If you were his best friend, then why is his lifeless body entangled in your merciless claws!" He drew his sword, feeling like a brave knight facing a sleeping deadly dragon. "Put it away mouse." The owl said, not wanting to talk to him. "The name is Reepicheep!" he barked, "best you remember that." The owl nodded, "I'll keep it posted." He said. "Well?" Reep asked, waiting for some kind of response. "What?" The owl answered, "Oh," the owl continued, "I suspect you want to know my name so you can make me a war story?" Reepicheep laughed at the answer, "You are a martyr only to your comrades and, if what you say is true, I'm assuming all of them are dead, just like-" he stopped himself. The owl was crying again, the owl lifted his wing, revealing his side. There was a large tattoo, an eight digit number, a mark of death, and the words " Vogel der Juden." which meant _Bird of the Jews_. Two snakes, engulfed by a malicious eagle, smiled deviously towards the owl and to Reep, who shuttered, he didn't have to know what any of these strange markings meant. He already knew. "I'm sorry," Reep said, feeling ashamed and lowering his weapon. "I was unaware that you were a living martyr." The owl laughed a bit, "Living martyrs don't exist Reepicheep."

"Then what does then?"

"Innocent angels." The owl answered, "For it is they that deserve your pity, not some war horse like me who's out of his prime."

"You fool yourself," Reepicheep said, "my brother always told me, 'Reep, never sell anything short, for if you do, you'll never get its full worth. Full worth is an invaluable, once you lose it, you will never be able to reach it again.'" He paused, "So find your worth old boy!"

The owl smiled, "Your brother always said that." He sighed, "It's true, though, I am past my prime, I'm not the bird I once was. I can't fight like I used to. Fly like I used to. I used to be able and touch his hand! His paintbrush would gently tickle my tail feathers and soften my beak. Now," he sighs, "I fear he has forgotten me. For who could ever love a monster like me?" Reepicheep looked at the owl with pity in his voice and anger in his heart, but he swallowed that pride and saw underneath apparent murderer before him, a broken soul that needed fixing. "He hasn't forgotten you," Reepicheep said, using the best 'it's going to be alright' voice. "If he did then you wouldn't necessarily be here right now would you?" The owl nodded. "Thanks for that."

"Don't mention it." Reepicheep said, pausing a moment. "How did you know him?"

The owl smiled. "Tilden and I met about three years ago in a concentration camp. The war was waging. Tilden was the doctor there. I was doing some undercover work for the allies. Well, anyway, the shooting started. Tilden was trying to save as many people as he could. I saved his life, thinking that he was a poor soul who I could just eat later. I didn't though, I looked into his eyes, and that's when I knew that he was different. He was there for a reason, to get people out. I had to admire him for that. I knew that he would never make it alone. So, I stayed with him." He stood, looked out into the storm and cried. "Your brother always wanted to be buried out at sea." The owl said. Reepicheep nodded, taking everything in, "So, you saved his life?" The owl shook his head. "He saved mine. Before that I was a criminal, a thief, a low dirty bastard. Now," the owl laughed, "thanks to him, I'm a cleaner bastard." Reepicheep smiled. "He had that effect on people." He sighed, "I never knew him much. We were really close when we were mouselings and then, everything changed after that." The owl turned to him. "How so?" Reepicheep shook his head, not wanting to tell the details, "My family was killed by a pack of wolves, Tilden and I were the only ones who made it out alive. We hunted those beasts down, travelling everywhere, meeting all sorts of people, it was apparently bigger than we thought though."

"Really?" The owl raised his eyebrows, "Conspiracy?"

Reepicheep nodded. "The wolves were working for the King of the North, Barnabas. A sneaky devilish dwarf who wanted to take power in Narnia for some stupid reason."

"What reason was that?" The owl asked.

"Oh something about his great-grandfather being banished from the land because he was just a farmer who rebelled against the King. A pitiful excuse really. If you rebel against the King that's one thing, but this particular King was a good one, one of the only good rulers in my years actually." Reepicheep said.

"Who's rules now?" said the owl, who was a bit curious.

"The Great and Nobel King Caspian X. I sense a great future for him, I just hope I'll be alive long enough to see it through." Reepicheep replied with a smile.

"Do you fear Death, Reepicheep?" The owl asked, looking back at the mouse with questioning eyes.

"I fear like most if that's what you mean, but no, I don't feel or think about death, why, do you?" Reep asked.

The owl nodded. "He's the one who killed your brother, my friend. He almost killed me." Reepicheep looked at the owl with a confused look on his face, thinking that they couldn't both be talking about the same thing. "Death is _real_?" The mouse asked, with a slight step forward. "He's as real as the stars, as deadly as the sea, and as vicious and diabolical as his father." The owl said. "Who is Death's father?" Reepicheep asked. "Who do you think!" The owl snapped, getting heated, "The same one who gave me these!" He lifted his wing, "The same one who put me in this damned bag! The same one who deceives the world with his tongue and his smile. He is very real! He hides behind a face of fear and hate, he's a coward who lets his devils on Earth do his dirty work. A man called Adolf Hitler is his father, but the son wields the sword and pulls the trigger. Death is very real."

"Wait, are you saying that _Death_ killed my brother?" Reepicheep asked, a bit confused, he continued, "Death, the Grim Reaper, the Destroyer of Souls, is using humans to do his work?!"

The owl nodded. "He knocked me out, killed Tilden, and put me in here." He sighed, "The last thing Tilden said to me was, 'When Death kills me, do not weep for me, weep for the souls that are here, in this place, for they need your tears. Not me. When I am gone throw me in the sea and move on. Don't go looking for Death, for if you do, you will surely die.'" He looked out into the storm, and flew out into the wind and rain without saying another word.

Lighting struck the mast just as the owl flew under. Reepicheep saw the bird fall towards the water, slowly, and alone, like a tree in forest. The mouse, in gallant effort, jumped through the hole and onto the T-bar, quickly racing to the other side in hopes to somehow stop the inevitable. In his mind he began counting, _"One, two, three, four, five, six..." _The owl fell into the water, making a visible, deathly splash. Simultaneously, Reepicheep jumped ship. As he dove, he thought about what he was doing, and how crazy it was. He knew that he couldn't save him. He knew that the owl was injured and drowning, injured and dead, or just plain dead. _"Whatever the outcome of this venture be,"_ Reepicheep thought, his face hitting the water hard, if he survived it would bruise later. "_I won't let him die alone. This victim of war,"_ he swam downward, seeing the owl slowly fall into the increasing darkness of the violent sea, the currents tossing both of them around like a rag doll, but still Reepicheep pressed on downward, holding his breath and breathing slowly. _"this being who gave up everything only to be smitten down by Death is someone worth saving, risking your life for. In that case I was correct. He is a living martyr. A martyr for my brother, and for those under oppression, tyranny, war, fear. All of these things were written on him." _Reepicheep's lungs began to fill up with water, his vision became blurry and his ears popped from the pressure. He couldn't hold on much longer. He knew if he pressed on like this he would surely die before he reached the surface. His body wanted to quit, to breathe once again and forget this owl and let him be forgotten at the bottom of this ocean. Who cares, birds die every day, and this one was basically mental. Nonetheless he continued his mission. _"He was performing a funeral, a final request for my brother, who taught me everything. This bird taught me something that only him and Aslan could teach and I am just realizing it. Promises to brothers are unbreakable ones. I have made one to him, and I am certainly without question, going to keep it. Even if it means my death." _The owl landed at the bottom of the sea. His heart beating slowly. His weakness from the shock taking over. He was not content to die alone. He was tired of being alone. Being in the dark. The owl cried to himself but the ocean water made no difference. Just then he saw Reepicheep swimming towards him. Motioning to go upward, the owl shook his head. The mouse got below him and tried to lift him up, but the owl wouldn't budge. Reepicheep's lungs were screaming, his heart was beating a million miles a minute. His mind was racing and he began to panic, but his honor kept him there at the bottom of the sea, helping this owl. This random stranger, who seemingly killed his brother, this innocent angel in a bottomless, dark, pit. Reepicheep looked up and saw nothing but emptiness and sadness, the owl pushed him up, but Reep shook his head, his brain shutting down, but he didn't care, there was something he needed to say first, his eyes spoke to the owl, who had seconds left. _"I shall carry you gallant bird. Carry you to the stars if you wish, to the heavens. _Reepicheep quickly swam up_, _for he knew that the owl was gone, _"You said that you fear that He has forsaken you. That no one could love you because of the monster you are. I see no scales, no devil horns, no hatred filled eyes. For those are the qualities of monsters. You, nameless martyr, are not of these. You belong to the stars, and I shall carry you there." _Reepicheep resurfaced, breathing heavily, and swimming to the ship with what little energy he had left. The storm had passed on. _"The stars call you now, fly on, fly on, fly on! Look not back to me but to Home, for the Gates welcomes you back. The angels, innocent or otherwise sing of your return. For you were born there and have come home. I pray glorious happiness for you!" _He scaled the ship and shook himself dry. Reepicheep smiled and nodded at the sunlight, _"So I say again, fly on! Go do all that you can for every soul you can. For it is then you reach greater heights. Beyond the seas. Beyond the stars. Beyond all else. I shall call you Hyperion, valiant bird, you nameless martyr. May you never fall from the heavens, and if you ever do, I shall be there to lift you up. I can promise you that." _The sun smiled down on the mouse, whose smile grew more radiant as he closed his eyes, taking a sigh. "Venture onward gallant warrior." He opened his eyes. Below him he envisioned the owl, flying majestically from the water, droplets easing from his tail feathers, the wind shaking him dry and carrying up into the clouds. A smile on his face, a deep laugh, the mouse pictured this owl, whom he named Hyperion, flying over the ship, smiling and waving at him before circling around again and flying up to reach his greater heights.

Lucy walked over to him, she was soaking wet, dripping with water. "Reepicheep!" She called, thankful to see that he was alright. "What are you looking at?" She asked. The mouse smiled, not really paying attention to her, "Just the sunrise Your Highness, the glorious sunrise." She turned and walked away. Reepicheep smiled, again, this time for her, for she was the only one who really cared about him. He jumped from the railing and went towards the cellar to count the inventory again.

As he was counting the oranges and putting away the spices on their respected shelves, Reepicheep was whistling a made up tune. It was happy and upbeat, something that you could dance to, but the mouse wasn't much of a dancer so he just bobbed his head. A creak in the floorboards. Reepicheep stopped and turned, "Hello?" He said, looking around, expecting someone to be there. "Is anyone there?" A chill ran up his spine. He cringed, he lost all movement in his paws. Instinctively, Reepicheep reached for his sword but his hand wouldn't move, he was at the mercy of some force. Some force that called his name. He heard a voice.

"Tilden!" A bellowing bass.

"He's not here," Reepicheep answered, "he's dead."

"Reep!" A different voice, Reepicheep recognized it immediately.

"Tilden?" Reepicheep asked trying to look around, but to no avail "Where are you?"

"Don't listen to him!" Tilden screamed.

"Wait, what are you talking about?" Reep said, trying to make sense of things.

"Reep, he's going to kill you!" Tilden called from somewhere unknown, possibly Reepicheep's head.

"Tilden, you're not making sense, who is trying to kill me?!" Reepicheep said, getting a bit nervous that he couldn't move.

The door that was at the top of the stairs that led to the deck closed. There was no one present.

"Who's there?" Reepicheep said.

A laugh, a sinister laugh, one of evil, hate, malice. "Death."

Reepicheep looked in front of him, smiling, gaining a bit of courage, "Do your worst!"

More evil laughter. "My pleasure!"

In an instant, Reepicheep was gone. Disappeared from this world. He screamed alone. He cried alone. He fought back alone, and he died alone...but alone is such a vague word isn't it? And death is just so inescapable...right?


	2. Chapter 2

Minutes seemed like hours, and for a while the cellar was quiet and alone without it's small caretaker. The apples and oranges wondered where Reepicheep went. They asked the spices and they didn't know. The spices asked the vegetables and they didn't know either. Things went on this way for several days and weeks, eventually nobody knew where Reepicheep went, or if he was alive or dead. Rumors began to spread that he died in a kitchen accident, but that was soon debunked because, well, it's Reepicheep. Another one was that he drowned, and this was the one that people believed. They all told their own version of it. They all basically said the same thing though. Reepicheep died trying to save someone from something that was attacking the ship, and he was being the gallant warrior, sacrificing himself and so on, drowning in the end.

It was a difficult thing to grasp, the fact that the bet warrior, the best swordsman, the most respected person on the crew next to the Pevensies and the King was dead. Lucy sat up in her room, reciting poems and combing her hair, crying her eyes out and tearing out her hair. She, out of anyone grieved the most. Edmund didn't speak, for he had lost the only person he felt really understood him. Eustace was pretty much the same. Reepicheep had done nothing significant in his life yet. Caspian publicly cried, for he had lost a guard. For two solid months after his disappearance, every night, there was a crew candlelight vigil, in hopes that their brave little friend would somehow return to them. But after almost three months, the crew stopped the vigils and gave up hope.

Reepicheep appeared on Lucy's bed just after midnight. His fur had black soot and he smelled of rotting flesh, his feather was black, his sword had the appearance of fire. He looked like a demon in the night. He watched her sleeping, he smiled deviously, and spoke in a bellowing, demonic voice. "Wake up!" Lucy opened her eyes and saw her friend standing there, looking like he was about to do the unforgivable. "Reepicheep!" She cried, her emotions getting to the best of her. She cried tears of happiness. "Silence!" Reepicheep barked. "The mouse you knew is dead, I am no longer the friend you used to know. For I am a god among my fellow associates, a king among my masters. This life is dead to me." He laughed, his eyes glowed in a menacing yellow. He lunged forward towards her face. He aimed his blade at exact center of her forehead. "May Death reap you slowly!" He cried. She screamed. "HELP!" She grabbed him and quickly threw him towards the wall. She then ran out the door, screaming her head off. Reepicheep shook of the feeling and chased after her. "Come back here you little bitch! Let me slit your miserable little throat!" He smiled and laughed as he exited.

Lucy ran through the quarters, waking every person she could. "Reepicheep's back! Reepicheep's back!" She screamed in fear. Everyone was confused of why she was screaming and running away. "Why are you screaming?" Edmund asked who stopped her. "He's back Edmund, Reepicheep's back and he's coming to kill me." Edmund smiled, "Are you sure you weren't dreaming?" Lucy shook her head in protest, "No Edmund I'm serious, he's back and he's-"

"Right here!" Reepicheep yelled.

Lucy looked at him in fear, "Reep, please don't do this. You know me!" Reep bent his head down, he made a motion with his sword, swinging it in a downward direction, as he were preparing for fencing. "I know no one but Death! For he is my keeper!" He jumped towards Lucy, and attacked his blade but Edmund blocked it with his own. "Reepicheep!" Edmund said. "Stop this, you're not yourself!" Reepicheep smiled slyly, "Correction, I am perfectly," he laughed to himself, "myself as you say."

"Reepicheep, put the blade away." It was Caspian, who was behind him. Reepicheep turned and hissed. "Be still you viper! You pompous annoying little fuck. I ought to finish you right where you stand!" Caspian just kept his composure, "Reepicheep, just calm down, put the blade away."

"No." The mouse said.

"No?" Caspian raised his eyebrows. "I think I gave an order."

Reepicheep nodded, " I don't take orders from you. You can either submit to me or die, those are your options now!" He shouted, looking at each and everyone one of them. "That goes for all of you." He turned back to Lucy, "Especially you!" Lucy shook her head, crying her eyes and running up the stairs. Reepicheep followed her with Edmund close behind.

As Lucy made it up to the deck she closed the grate behind her and locked it. Reepicheep just slid through the holes. Edmund stopped on the third stair from the top. "Lucy!" He shouted, shaking the grate. "Lucy!"

She didn't hear him. All she wanted to do was jump ship, get away from this crazy possessed mouse that pursued her. She looked around for a savior. Tavros, was at the helm. He was the helmsman after all. She looked up to him, "Tavros!" She screamed. The minotaur looked over, "Is something wrong Your Majesty?" He asked, concerned.

"It's Reepicheep, he's back, he's-" she looked around, she didn't see him. There was no traces of the mouse. "What about him Your Majesty?" Tavros said, a bit confused, for he, like everyone else, thought he was dead. Lucy began to cry and submit to fate whatever it might be. The bull sighed, "Look, we all miss him but we all have to face facts, he's gone, and he's not-" he never finished his sentence. An upward slice, from the middle of the back to the head. The bull fell and Lucy screamed. Reepicheep jumped from the helm, his sword swimming in blood, his face covered in it. Slowly he walked towards the girl, like a beast of night emerging from his slumber, he was thirsty for blood and hungry for flesh and was determined to get both.

She daringly walked the plank. Reepicheep smiled, and laughed as he stood in front, blocking her path and forcing her to go in only direction she could- backwards towards water.

"Reepicheep!" She screamed, getting down on her knees trying to stable herself from falling. "Please don't do this, I'm your friend!" Reepicheep aimed his blade at her forehead again, lifting her hair out of her eyes. He looked into them. The soft blue pools of once familiar friend, now lay dead and meaningless. "Let me tell you a little secret that I never told anyone else." Reepicheep said, with his still yellowish glowing eyes. He whispered, and with the voice of the devil answered, "I don't give a damn!" He sliced her forehead, making a deep cut. She screamed and lost her balance. Reepicheep did nothing as she inevitably fell towards the sea floor. He laughed diabolically.

Reepicheep closed his eyes and waited for the splash. That dead sure splash that signified her death. It never came. Instead there was the flapping of wings. Reepicheep opened his eyes, his face became horror stricken, his eyes became teary, his heart heavy. Appearing before him, in a halo of white, was the owl. In his talons was Lucy whom he carried gently back towards the deck. Reepicheep followed the magnificent bird with his eyes taking in every last detail. He feathers were pure white, his beak was gold, his talons were silver. It was a glorious light that made Reepicheep's eyes hurt. Once Lucy was down on the deck and safe, the owl turned to him, his eyes blazes of fire, and his voice, was that of Aslan. "Reepicheep." The owl said, "You have forgotten yourself. Your honor has been stripped, your life has been stained. Your name forsaken." Reepicheep shook his head, "What are you talking about?" He said, confused. "Exactly my point," the owl walked towards him, his light increasing with each step. forcing Reepicheep to step back. "You have forgotten everything you stood for, all that you believe. This isn't you!" Reepicheep smiled, advancing towards the owl now, "Oh it most certainly is me old boy!" He laughed sinisterly, "I'm still the same lovable friend you know, just a bit more," he laughed to himself, "non-negotiable." Hyperion struck him down, scarring his face with his talons, "You saved me from the depths of hell Reepicheep, you ventured onward where no one beast or man has ever dared go. Your heart was pure. Look upon me as your friend. I heard every thought you said to me, you're eyes are great communicators." The mouse who had been for some time, cloaked in blackness, bathed in deceit, and spoke like a serpent smiled. "If you're expecting any sympathies, you failed miserably." Reepicheep stabbed the bird, diminishing his glow and sending him straight down to the floor of the deck. "Reepicheep," Hyperion said, voice fading for a moment, "you said that you would lift me up, to the stars even. Let me take you there with me." Reepicheep laughed and didn't answer him, he only stabbed him again.

"NO!" Lucy screamed, falling to her knees. Reepicheep turned to her, he sneered. He moved his sword in a quick diagonal motion, blood droplets fell through the air and landing on the wooden deck. A commotion downstairs. "Lucy!" It was Caspian again. He shook the grate, "What's going on up there!"

"The death of an angel you pompous little bigot," Reepicheep called to him. "The death of a beautiful lovely angel." He raised his sword and stabbed Lucy in the chest, the mouse smiled, "Correction," he said, "the death of many angels." He cut his sword to the left, making a deep wound in Lucy's chest. She fell forward, crying as she hit the deck. Reepicheep lifted the hair from her eyes, seeing her heartbreak in front of him. He had no remorse. "Shall I look upon the eyes of the weeping and see glorious justice?" He borrowed a chuckle from the devil, "Yes, I believe that is most definitely the case." Reepicheep raised his sword about to strike again, when he was stopped. A sharp pain in his chest. The mouse looked down and saw coming all the way through it, a silver talon, dressed in blood. Hyperion stood behind him and removed his talon, staying silent. Reepicheep fell to the ground, jittering a bit. His heart was pumping furiously, the pain began to take over. Lucy stared at him and kicked him away, his body sliding across the deck on his stomach like soap. Reepicheep stopped and stood as if it were nothing. He turned his head slowly towards Lucy. "You will regret that." He charged, extending his blade, ambition told him to kill, his heart told him to stay true to himself. Ambition won, but his heart would answer back. For Hyperion was right, this devil wasn't him.

Reepicheep ran with all his speed, he jumped forward, and was about to end Lucy forever when his blade was met with another. At the end of it, Reepicheep saw a glowing, radiant version of his former self. He gave a silent death stare. The glowing mouse turned towards Hyperion and nodded, "Thank you friend." Hyperion rolled his eyes, "Focus!" The owl said. The Evil Reepicheep smiled, "So, it seems we are at an impasse." The Shining Reepicheep nodded, turning his gaze at himself. "Not quite!" He lifted his head, confidence returning, as if he could ever lose it. They fought. Point attacks, parrying, flipping, and dodging, like two acrobats. They crossed blades, moving back and forth as if fencing. Each one taking advantage of each other as they continued. Suddenly, Evil Reepicheep swung at his former self's head. The Shining version of himself bent backward, avoiding the blade entirely and countered. The Shining Mouse swung his blade towards his evil twin, stabbing him in the chest. The Evil One laughed, as his better half stood valiantly over him, ready to finish the job. "You can't kill me Reepicheep." Reepicheep's Evil self said laughing. "You and I are one and the same. We will be fighting this way forever. Let's stop this bickering and work together. We can be great!" The Good Side smiled, "As much as I would like to," he said, "I see only malevolence from you." The Evil One nodded in agreement, "You would be correct." He stood up and walked towards Lucy. "Let's see if you can stop me." He said. The Evil Reepicheep walked slowly towards Lucy, once again, trying to finish the job. He extended his blade and laughed sinisterly. The Good Benevolent Mouse backed up slowly, he wasn't about to let anyone die because of his foolish mistakes. He began counting. _"One," _

The Evil Reepicheep aimed his blade at Lucy, this time at the heart.

_"Two,"_

Lucy looked at the dark mouse. "Any last words Your Highness?" He said.

The Benevolent one jumped forward into the air, like an assassin killing its target, spun in a drill like motion, blade extended. "_Three_,"

The Evil Mouse raised his sword and was about to strike. The good one landed and threw his blade towards his evil self. _"Four." _The blade ripped through the air, screaming like a banshee slowly spinning its way towards the target. Closer, and closer, and closer, and closer. The blade delighted itself in the task of killing the Evil Mouse. It shredded organs, and disemboweled him from the inside, coming straight through to the other side. It was a glorious death if there ever was one. The Evil Mouse looked down at himself, as the good one walked towards him and grabbed the grip of his blade. He stared at his dark shadow, not believing that he fell for a lie. The biggest lie in the world too. "Are you going to say something or are you just going to stand there like an idiot?" The dark one said. The good side of him said nothing, he lifted his blade, carrying his shadow with him and spun around like a javelin thrower. He spun around, over and over and over, to the point where he thought he was going to be sick. He let go of his blade, sending it and his dark shadow into the sky, which slowly died and disappeared into a dark void. Just as he did, the dark shadow performed one final act of malice. He threw his sword back towards his good self before disappearing into nothingness.

Flying straight as an arrow, the sword gleamed in the sunlight, ready to perform it's master's final wishes. The sword impacted Reepicheep's chest, piercing his fur and making holes in his tissues and muscles. The sword slowly broke bone as it continued forward momentum, finally it reached the other side. Reepicheep looked down at the trouble and fell on his knees, he looked at Hyperion and smiled softly. "Thanks for flying onward for me."

"Don't mention it." Hyperion said, looking more sorrowful than ever.

"Do me a favor," Reepicheep said, pulling out the sword, letting the steel clank against the wood of the deck as he fell forward, catching himself with his paws before looking at the owl again. "Don't throw me into the sea. Take me somewhere else."

"To the stars if you wish." Hyperion answered.

Reepicheep smiled and nodded, "To the stars then." The sun shone down on the ship deck, all fear had passed away, death no longer existed there. Reepicheep delightfully smiled as the sun warmed his fur. He turned to Lucy, who asked if he was going to be alright. "Does the sun rise every morning?" He asked.

"Yes." Lucy answered.

"Then you have answered your question." Reepicheep said as he clutched his chest, his body no longer being able to fight the excoriating pain and fell on the deck. He turned himself over, facing the warm sunlight, smiled, and quietly sang to himself a song from his mouseling days that his brother taught him- an old war song.

"When the night is cold and weary and the world it seems will end."

Hyperion smiled, knowing the verse, he sang along with him.

"Remember friend that in this life we all shall see an end. It may be now, a day, a week or two, or possibly a year, but remember that if you go do not a shed a tear. Praise oh Glory, peace to all men! We will raise our glass and spirits high to see a just and noble end. To the martyrs, and the fathers, mothers, sisters, brothers too, we sing for all who come with us to see the world a new! So give me your troubles, give me your hate, for I shall send them to the land of all forgotten banes. We sing and shout together. For now and ever more. The light upon the world we see shall be the end to war. The light upon the world we see shall be the end to war! Praise oh Glory, peace to all men! We will raise our glass and spirits high to see a just and noble end. To the martyrs, and the fathers, brothers, and sisters too, we sing for all who come with us to see the world a new!"

Their voices echoed throughout the ship, the crew members below heard them and they hummed along, for too knew the verse. When the chorus ended, they sang along with them, making the song louder, reaching the sun and the fading stars.

"When the war is through and over we shall sing our battle-cry. Justice, peace, and truth prevail, all through the end of time. So raise your glass, and spirits up and please pour the wine! For we shall dink and dine with honor, valor tonight! Praise oh Glory, peace to all men! We will raise our glass and spirits high to see a just and noble end. To the martyrs and the fathers, mothers, sisters, brothers too, we sing for all who come with us to see the world a new!"

Reepicheep sang the last part by himself, "So take the road that leads to Glory, dismiss all your pain, in the end we all shall see evil cursed in vain. Just remember this my friends, for what I say is true," there was a pause, as tradition with this song dictates. Everyone, Hyperion, the crew, and even Reepicheep himself waited for the final words. His heart slowed, his eyes faded, he smiled, "The day the martyrs come ashore will be a righteous day!" He shouted it as loud as he could, his chest rising, his eyes beaming, feeling invincible. Cheering from the crew, they began chanting his name, for they knew he was to be sent off. Reepicheep smiled. Hyperion smiled right back at him. "Want me to take you to the stars?"

"Take me home Hyperion, the place where I was born, the place I was meant to go. I miss Him! I long for Him more than the opportunity to say these words. I miss my house in Paradise, my wife waits for me there, my friends call my name!" The mouse laughed, "Someone once asked if the light at the end is beautiful, I think I can finally answer him. I see the light, and yes, it's beautiful. More beautiful than a bride, more radiant than the sun. Once you see it, there is nothing else, everything fades." His vision blurred, his voice grew weak, he whispered, "it's alright, I'm coming home," he turned his head to the owl, reaching for him, "carry me there won't you?" He drew his final breath. Lucy shook his head and cried, the reality of loosing someone sunk in. This time, she knew, Reepicheep wasn't coming back. "I'm going to miss him." She said, drying out her eyes. "I know he wouldn't want me to cry."

"He will always be with you child," Hyperion said as he hovered into the air a bit. "angels always come to those who need them. May he forever be yours." Lucy watched him fly away, she waved and smiled. As Hyperion slowly flew up, Lucy saw Reepicheep on his back, looking happier than ever to finally be going home. He turned and waved back just before disappearing into the morning sunrise.

When she could no longer see them Lucy turned and opened the grate, letting everyone else up on the deck. They all asked what happened, if she was okay, and where Reepicheep was. They noticed the body, and immediately made preparations for him. All other plans were delayed, everything was put on hold. They weaved a small raft, placed the mouse in the center and sent it out to sea. For three months, no one spoke a word. This mourning was real. This time people knew without a doubt in their mind that Reepicheep was dead. As Lucy would later write:

_There was never a mouse more beloved, respected, or honorable than Reepicheep. He was mourned throughout the land, and proclaimed a hero, a legend, a role model for his people. As for the owl, he became known as "Reepicheep's Chariot" for it was this owl who carried him there, to Aslan's Country, and it was he who saved him. _

_Even though I am too old to return to Narnia, my dreams are filled with it. Reepicheep comes to visit me every day in some way. The way the wind blows, the sun falls. I know he's on my shoulder, always protecting me, always watching over me, whispering to me in my ear thoughts of happiness and joyful things when storms rage. Hyperion, the owl, was right, he will always be with me. The owl watches the mouse, the mouse watches me, and I live on, waiting for the day where I can see them again. Until then, I shall leave you with Reepicheep's own words: venture onward gallant warrior. The stars call you now, fly on, fly on, fly on!_


End file.
